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Rod Tempertons "MYSTERY"

Fuzball

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"Mystery" was written for the Thriller album but it ended up on the Manhattan Transfers album "Bodies & Souls" (and later on Anita Baker's "Rapture" album).

Wondering if a version with Michaels (scratch) vocals does exist.


 
Michael Jackson apparently did not record any vocals on the ‘Mystery’ song.

That is because when Rod Temperton submitted the song to him, he did not like it and he immediately rejected it.

The Manhattan Transfer jazz vocal group were the first who recorded vocals on that song.
 
So these songs that Rod wrote for MJ that didn't make the cut, most were later given to other artists. But there's nothing more with Rolling The Dice?
 
mj_frenzy said:
That is because when Rod Temperton submitted the song to him, he did not like it and he immediately rejected it.
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How do you know? Do you have a source for this?

Derek1984 said:
So these songs that Rod wrote for MJ that didn't make the cut, most were later given to other artists. But there's nothing more with Rolling The Dice?
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The song has been registert with acsap as "Roll The Dice" (Work ID: 482154658). No performer has been stated, though.
 
mj_frenzy;4319522 said:
Michael Jackson apparently did not record any vocals on the ‘Mystery’ song.

That is because when Rod Temperton submitted the song to him, he did not like it and he immediately rejected it.

The Manhattan Transfer jazz vocal group were the first who recorded vocals on that song.
Click to expand...



Im tired of people asking MJ_FRENZY for a source all the time he knows everything and has a lot of info he just knows ok so stop asking where its from he just has this info he used to work with mj in the studio and they were friends
 
So Rolling The Dice must have some vocals on it. Even if it was just worked on for a day, there's something recorded.
 
If a demo exists of this song it would be an interesting listen. I can see why it didn't make the cut. I feel it doesn't fit the sound of the album but I could imagine him singing it.
 
mj_frenzy said:
Michael Jackson apparently did not record any vocals on the ‘Mystery’ song.

That is because when Rod Temperton submitted the song to him, he did not like it and he immediately rejected it.

The Manhattan Transfer jazz vocal group were the first who recorded vocals on that song.
Click to expand...
What about rolling the dice did Michael Jackson recorded it because I heart audio talking about it he said we did demo one but we thought it's not strong enough to put it in thriller album
 
Dilan said:
Im tired of people asking MJ_FRENZY for a source all the time he knows everything and has a lot of info he just knows ok so stop asking where its from he just has this info he used to work with mj in the studio and they were friends
Click to expand...

I can smell sarcasm but not quite sure... Just have to check. Are you serious?

Ive been observing around for while and I often come across these post from MJfrenzy which are all stated as a matter of fact with no source to back it up. Why is this even allowed? I mean theres one thing to write something and maybe have a forgotten or misread something from a while ago, but this guy MJfrenzy spews out claims and statements as if he was MJ's nose hairs.
 
Fuzball said:
How do you know? Do you have a source for this?
Click to expand...
The 'Michael Jackson: For The Record' book is one of these sources.
Lotfi11k said:
What about rolling the dice did Michael Jackson recorded it because I heart audio talking about it he said we did demo one but we thought it's not strong enough to put it in thriller album
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'Rolling The Dice' was written and recorded during the early 'Thriller' album sessions.

It has been said that Michael Jackson and Rod Temperton were not satisfied with the final result of the song, which implies that this song exists in a complete form.
 
mj_frenzy said:
The 'Michael Jackson: For The Record' book is one of these sources.

'Rolling The Dice' was written and recorded during the early 'Thriller' album sessions.

It has been said that Michael Jackson and Rod Temperton were not satisfied with the final result of the song, which implies that this song exists in a complete form.
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Do you have information about other unreleased songs for exemple groove of midnight or anything or spice of life or stand tall or
 
SmoothCriminal1995 said:
I'd be shocked if MJ rejected Mystery or even Spice Of Life (another Manhattan Transfer track written by Rod) and chose to record weaker demo's like Got The Hots and Slapstick
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With Spice of Life, Temperton re-uses some of the melody from Baby Be Mine. Other than that, I don't believe there to be any connection to MJ with that tune.
 
Mystery isn't a bad song but my guess is MJ wasn't fond of the lyrics and passed on it.
 
Lotfi11k said:
Do you have information about other unreleased songs for exemple groove of midnight or anything or spice of life or stand tall or
Click to expand...
'Groove Of Midnight' was written by Rod Temperton, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album.

American female singer Siedah Garrett revealed (during a Questlove Supreme podcast) that Michael Jackson fully recorded it.

One can easily understand why the song did not make the 'BAD' album.

'Groove Of Midnight' was melodically a very weak and forgettable song, it did not fit the overall aggressive tone of the 'BAD' album, and it was also a song more suitable for a female voice (hence, why Siedah Garrett recorded her own version of it for her 'Kiss Of Life' album).

'Spice Of Life' was written by Rod Temperton, but it is also said that Rod Temperton co-wrote it with British songwriter Derek Bramble.

'Spice Of Life' was recorded by Michael Jackson in 1981 for the 'Thriller' album.

'Stand Tall' was registered with the United States Copyright Office in 1985, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album (it was recorded in 1982).
 
Listening right now, I'm not real impressed with this song. Kinda glad Michael passed on this.
 
mj_frenzy said:
'Groove Of Midnight' was written by Rod Temperton, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album.

American female singer Siedah Garrett revealed (during a Questlove Supreme podcast) that Michael Jackson fully recorded it.

One can easily understand why the song did not make the 'BAD' album.

'Groove Of Midnight' was melodically a very weak and forgettable song, it did not fit the overall aggressive tone of the 'BAD' album, and it was also a song more suitable for a female voice (hence, why Siedah Garrett recorded her own version of it for her 'Kiss Of Life' album).

'Spice Of Life' was written by Rod Temperton, but it is also said that Rod Temperton co-wrote it with British songwriter Derek Bramble.

'Spice Of Life' was recorded by Michael Jackson in 1981 for the 'Thriller' album.

'Stand Tall' was registered with the United States Copyright Office in 1985, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album (it was recorded in 1982).
Click to expand...

Where is there any proof of that?
 
Derek1984 said:
With Spice of Life, Temperton re-uses some of the melody from Baby Be Mine. Other than that, I don't believe there to be any connection to MJ with that tune.
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Exactly, there's no (known) connection at all. Whereas in case of "Mystery" Greg Phillinganes & Michael Boddicker are credited for playing Rhodes & Synthesizer on it.
 
Fuzball said:
Exactly, there's no (known) connection at all. Whereas in case of "Mystery" Greg Phillinganes & Michael Boddicker are credited for playing Rhodes & Synthesizer on it.
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That's what makes me think it was at least done instrumentally, during the Thriller sessions. Whether Mike put down vocals or not remains to be seen. I hope so
 
Derek1984 said:
Where is there any proof of that?
Click to expand...
Chas de Whalley wrote (in the International Musician Magazine) that Derek Bramble's first solo effort (as a songwriter) was that song.

"Derek Bramble bailed out of somebody else's boat in order to sink or swim by his own songwriting … ['Spice Of Life'] made the final shortlist for Michael Jackson's Thriller [album] … Unfortunately the song wasn't included on the album" (Chas de Whalley, 'The Producers: Derek Bramble' Article, International Musician Magazine, UK, January 1985)

It goes without saying that songs that made the final shortlist for an album are always complete.
 
The chorus in Mystery sound so "Motown-y" ... *

(* I think I found why, it reminds me of Coming Home by the Jackson 5.)
 
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mj_frenzy said:
'Groove Of Midnight' was written by Rod Temperton, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album.

American female singer Siedah Garrett revealed (during a Questlove Supreme podcast) that Michael Jackson fully recorded it.

One can easily understand why the song did not make the 'BAD' album.

'Groove Of Midnight' was melodically a very weak and forgettable song, it did not fit the overall aggressive tone of the 'BAD' album, and it was also a song more suitable for a female voice (hence, why Siedah Garrett recorded her own version of it for her 'Kiss Of Life' album).

'Spice Of Life' was written by Rod Temperton, but it is also said that Rod Temperton co-wrote it with British songwriter Derek Bramble.

'Spice Of Life' was recorded by Michael Jackson in 1981 for the 'Thriller' album.

'Stand Tall' was registered with the United States Copyright Office in 1985, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album (it was recorded in 1982).
Click to expand...

mj_frenzy said:
'Groove Of Midnight' was written by Rod Temperton, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album.

American female singer Siedah Garrett revealed (during a Questlove Supreme podcast) that Michael Jackson fully recorded it.

One can easily understand why the song did not make the 'BAD' album.

'Groove Of Midnight' was melodically a very weak and forgettable song, it did not fit the overall aggressive tone of the 'BAD' album, and it was also a song more suitable for a female voice (hence, why Siedah Garrett recorded her own version of it for her 'Kiss Of Life' album).

'Spice Of Life' was written by Rod Temperton, but it is also said that Rod Temperton co-wrote it with British songwriter Derek Bramble.

'Spice Of Life' was recorded by Michael Jackson in 1981 for the 'Thriller' album.

'Stand Tall' was registered with the United States Copyright Office in 1985, and it was meant for the 'BAD' album (it was recorded in 1982).
Click to expand...
So Michael Jackson recorded groove of midnight and stand tall and spice of life ? Why Damien shileds said he heard stand tall but there is another vocal not Michael ?
 
Groove of Midnight is probably a really rough demo but to my knowledge, nobody can find the tape(s) for that song.
 
mj_frenzy said:
One can easily understand why the song did not make the 'BAD' album.

'Groove Of Midnight' was melodically a very weak and forgettable song, it did not fit the overall aggressive tone of the 'BAD' album
Click to expand...
Did I Just Can’t Stop Loving You fit the overall aggressive tone of the Bad album? Did Liberian girl?
 
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